CEMA’s President’s Message-2016

Garry Abraham

CEO and General Manager at Screw Conveyor Corporation

It is my distinct honor and privilege to serve as President of the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) for 2016-2017. For 80 plus years now CEMA has been the “Voice of the Conveyor Industry of North America” and now is moving to become the “Voice of the Conveyor Industry for All of the Americas”. It is an exciting time to be a President of this Association, our membership count continues to grow and the value we provide our membership and the Industry as a whole continues to improve.

How does CEMA provide value to its Member companies? First, the CEMA/ANSI standards program continues to be recognized as the accepted source for equipment design and manufacture for the conveyor industry. CEMA’s Belt Book, in its newest 7th edition, has for decades been the go-to reference for bulk conveying. It is now available in both Portuguese and Spanish along with the English version, its status is assured for years to come. We are also looking forward to releasing our 2nd edition Unit Handling Book soon with enhancements that are also assured to continue its value to the industry as well. CEMA also has a treasure-trove of other publications that are known as the Gold Standard for the conveyor industry. I would be remiss here if I did not mention the CEMA Safety Program with its three (3) step approach to warning of safety issues on conveying equipment which includes safety labels, safety posters and safety videos. This program is used by the conveying industry worldwide to warn of and keep workers safe from hazards.

Second, the CEMA statistics program is by far the best source for data on the Conveyor Equipment Market for North America and is used in the business planning process for member companies big and small. Its accuracy is second to none, so much so that Economists from the US Census Department have contacted CEMA representatives to find out how we do it !! And now with CEMA’s push to expand membership into Central and South America we will be able to apply that same expertise to the markets there and in time provide all of our member companies further insight into business opportunities that are right next door.

Finally, the opportunity to network with other member companies is an invaluable resource for all !! As our membership continues to expand and CEMA’s balance sheet continues to remain solid, CEMA will continue to offer member companies opportunities to get together and exchange ideas to further both the Bulk and Unit Handling Industries in the market segments we serve for the betterment of us all. CEMA is unique as an Association in today’s world, large and strong enough to be the continuing “Voice of the Conveyor Industry of the Americas” however small enough to be like a family when we enjoy time together !!

It is this unique combination of Standards/Publications, Statistics, and Networking that has provided and will continue to provide the Greatest value to CEMA member companies and is the single biggest reason our Association continues to grow and expand.

As President, I pledge to work with the CEMA staff, its Directors, Officers, Committees and Sections to continue to enhance the value of CEMA membership for all its member companies.